Diverters

ABSTRACT

A diverter for use in photocopying machines, or the like, which may be removably mounted on the machine in position to prevent the discharge of a document from the machine and direct the document back through the machine when multiple copies of the document are desired.

15] 3,684,280 51 Aug. 15, 1972 EJnited States Patent Samuels et a1.

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Primary ExaminerEv0n C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Bruce H. Stoner, .lr. Attorney-Johnston, Root, OKeeffe, Keil, Thompson & Shurtlefi [22] Filed:

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UNITED STATES PATENTS document are desired.

3,194,550 7/1965 Goertz...........................271/3 7Claims,3Drawing figures DIVERTERS This invention relates to diverters, and more particularly, to diverters which are particularly well adapted for use on photocopying machines for converting a machine from single-copy operation to multiple-copy operation.

It is a primary object of the present invention to afford a novel diverter for use in a photocopying machine, and the like.

Another object of the present invention is to enable a document being passed through a photocopying machine to be diverted in a novel and expeditious manner back through the machine for the purpose of making additional copies thereof.

Diverters for use in photocopying machines to cause a document being copied in the machine to be automatically passed through the machine again for the purpose of making an additional copy, rather than being discharged from the machine, have been heretofore known in the art. However, such diverters as have been heretofore known in the art have commonly had several inherent disadvantages, such as, for example, forming a permanent part of the machine; affording an obstruction on the machine which interferes with the operation thereof; being subject to being accidentally moved into diverting or multiple-copy position; being complicated to manufacture; being complicated in construction and operation; or being difficult to operate or unreliable in operation, and the like. It is an important object of the present invention to overcome such disadvantages.

Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel diverter for causing a documentto be repeatedly passed through a photocopying machine, which machine is of the type capable of making a photocopy of a document each time that the document is passed through the machine and wherein, without a diverter being disposed in operative position in the machine, such a document passes once through the machine and is then discharged therefrom.

Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel removable diverter of the aforementioned type which may be quickly and easily inserted in operative position in a photocopying machine for converting the machine from single-copy operation to multiple-copy operation, and which diverter may be quickly and easily removed from the machine for converting the latter from a multiple-copy operation to a single-copy operation.

A further object of the present invention is to afford a novel diverter of the aforementioned type which is practical and efiicient in operation and which may be readily and economically produced commercially.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing which, by way of illustration, shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principles thereof and what we now consider to be the best mode in which we have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

2 DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, detail sectional view through a photocopying machine having a diverter, embodying the principles of the present invention, mounted therein;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, detail sectional view, similar to FIG. 1, but showing the diverter in a different position; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT SHOWN HEREIN A diverter l, embodying the principles of the present invention, is shown in the drawing to illustrate the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention. The diverter l is shown herein mounted in the housing 2 of a photocopy machine 3.

The diverter l embodies an elongated body portion 4 with an end portion 5 projecting laterally from one longitudinal edge of the body portion 4, and with another end portion 6 projecting laterally from the other longitudinal edge of the body portion 4, FIGS. 1 and 2. The body portion 4 has a lower face 7 which preferably is concave-downwardly, with the concavity extending longitudinally along the body portion.

The end portion 5 comprises two ears 8 and 9, FIG. 3, which project downwardly from respective ends of one longitudinal edge 10 of the body portion 4, thereby providing an opening in the form of a downwardly opening recess 11 extending transversely through the diverter l, the opening 11 extending along the longitudinal edge 10 of the body portion 4 between the ears 8 and 9.

The end portion 6 projects laterally from the longitudinal edge 12 of the body portion 4 remote from the longitudinal edge 10 thereof, FIGS. 1 and 2. Preferably, the end portion 6 extends along the full length of the body portion 4 of the diverter l. The lower face 13 of the end portion 6 is curved to define a longitudinally extending, concave-downwardly recess 14, and the end portion 6 includes an upwardly projecting handle 15 disposed along the side thereof remote from the body portion 4, for purposes which will be discussed in greater detail presently.

The photocopy machine 3 is of the type which embodies and opening 16 in the top wall of the housing 2, through which a document to be copied may be inserted into and discharged from the machine. The machine 3 embodies a guideway structure for guiding such a document therethrough, the guideway structure including an inlet guideway 17 for guiding such a document into the machine 3, and an outlet guideway 18 for guiding such a document out of the machine, with suitable feed mechanism, such as feed rollers 19 and 20 being disposed in the machine for feeding such a document through the guideway structure.

The inlet guideway 17 embodies an inlet 21 disposed in the opening 16 in the housing 2, FIGS. 1 and 2, and the discharge guideway 18 embodies an outlet 22 disposed below the feed rollers 19 and 20. The guideways l7 and 18 are so constituted and arranged in the housing 2 that during normal, single-copy operation of the machine 3, a document to be copied may be inserted downwardly through the opening 16 into the inlet 21 of the inlet guideway 17, from which it passes through the housing 2 in a photocopying operation and then passes upwardly through the outlet guideway 18, from which it is discharged upwardly through the outlet 22, between the feed rollers 19 and 20 and outwardly through the opening 16. The diverter 1 is operable to convert the machine 3 from such single-copy operation, wherein the document to be copied passes through the machine once and is then discharged therefrom, to multiple-copy operation, wherein the document, rather than being discharged from the discharge guideway 18 outwardly through the opening 16, is fed from the discharge guideway 18 back into the inlet 21 of the inlet guideway 17, from which it again passes through the machine for another photocopying operation, as will now be described.

The diverter 1 is of such construction that when it is desirable to convert the machine 3 from a single-copy operation to multiple-copy operation, it may be quickly and easily inserted into theposition shown in FIG. 1, wherein the end portion 5 is disposed between the upper wall 23 and the lower wall 24 of the inlet guideway 17, adjacent to the inlet 21, and with the free edge portions of the ears 8 and 9 resting on the upper face of the lower guideway wall 24. In this operative position of the diverter l the body portion 4 thereof extends across opening 16 in the housing 2 in upwardly spaced relation to the upper face of the bottom guideway wall 24. Preferably, two pins 25 and 26 are mounted in inwardly projecting relation on opposite sides of the housing 2 in position to supportingly engage opposite ends of the lower face 13 of the end portion 6 within the recess 14 and thereby support the diverter l in such operative position.

The distance between the ears 8 and 9 on the diverter l is greater than the width of the paper or other document being fed through the machine 3 and, when the diverter 1 is disposed in the aforementioned operative position in the machine 3, the opening 11 afforded by the inner edges of the ears 8 and 9, the longitudinal edge l0-of the body portion 4 and the upper face of guideway wall 24 is disposed in such position that a document passing upwardly through the outlet 22 and between the feed rollers 19 and 20 into engagement with the lower face 7 of the body portion 4 is deflected or directed by the latter through the opening 11 and the inlet 21 back into the inlet guideway 17 for I another passage through the machine 3.

Insertion of the diverter 1 into such operative position in the machine 3 may readily be accomplished by grasping the handle 15 and turning the diverter 1 into the inclined position shown in FIG. 2, wherein the end portion 6 is disposed above the end portion 5, inserting the end portion 5 into the inlet 21 of the inlet guideway 17 and then rotating the diverter l in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, down into position wherein the pins 25 and 26 are disposed in supporting engagement with the end portion 6 within the recess 14 as shown in FIG. 1. Similarly, conversion of the machine 3 from multiple-copy operation to singlecopy operation may be equally quickly and easily accomplished. To accomplish this, it is merely necessary for the operator to grasp the handle 15 and rotate the diverter l in a counterclockwise direction around the end 5 thereof fromthe position shown in FIG. 1 into a position wherein the end 6 is raised above the opening 16, as shown in FIG. 2, and then lift the diverter 1 from the machine. Such operation again clears the opening 16 so that any document passing upwardly through the discharge 22 will pass upwardly therefrom through the opening 16 and be discharged from the housing 2.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention affords a novel diverter for use in photocopying machines, and the like.

In addition, it will be seen that the present invention enables a photocopying machine to be quickly and easily converted from single-copy operation to multiple-copy operation and vice versa.

Also, it will be seen that the present invention affords a novel diverter which is practical and efficient in operation and which may be readily and economically produced commercially.

Thus, while we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of our invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification, and we therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a copying machine including a housing having an opening therein through which an original document may be discharged from said housing after having been inserted therein and copied, a discharge guideway having an outlet in communication with said opening for discharging such a document from said housing, an inlet guideway in communication with said opening and with said discharge guideway and having spaced walls, means for recycling such a document from said opening through said inlet and discharge guideways com prising a. a diverter removably mounted in said housing and extending across said opening therein, thereby to close said opening, said diverter having 1. a downwardly concave lower surface for guiding a document from the outlet of said discharge guideway to the inlet guideway,

2. a first end portion positioned adjacent said inlet guideway along one longitudinal edge of said opening, and

3. a second end portion positioned adjacent the other longitudinal edge of said opening, and

b. at least a part of said first end portion being spaced from a wall of said inlet guideway to allow such document to enter said inlet guideway from said discharge guideway.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, and in which a. said diverter has an elongated handle projecting outwardly from said opening on the side of said opening remote from said inlet.

3. The combination defined in claim 1, and in which said housing has supporting means, and in which a. said second end portion of said diverter is removably mounted on and supported by said supporting means.

4. The combination defined in claim 1, and in which abutment means are mounted in said housing, and in which a. said second end portion has a recess therein,

b. said abutment means are disposed in said recess in supporting relation to said second end portion, and

c. said lower surface extends between said recess and said first mentioned end portion.

5. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said first end portion comprises two ears projecting from said lower surface in spaced relation to each other, and defining an opening through said first end portion.

6. In a copying machine including a housing having an opening therein through which an original document may be discharged after having been inserted therein and copied, a discharge guideway having an outlet in communication with said opening for discharging such a document from said housing, an inlet guideway in communication with said opening and with said discharge guideway and having spaced walls, means for recycling such a document from said opening through said inlet and discharge guideways comprising a. a diverter removably mounted in said housing and including 1. an elongated central body portion, 2. an end portion a. projecting downwardly from one end of said body portion, and b. having an opening therethrough, and

6 3. another end portion projecting from the other end of said body portion, b. said first mentioned end portion extending across said inlet, 0. said other end portion being supported in said housing, and

d said body portion extending across said opening in position to deflect such a document passing outwardly from said discharge guideway through said opening and in said end portion into said inlet guideway.

7. The combination defined in claim 6, and in which said housing has two supporting pins mounted in opposite sides of said housing, and in which a. said first mentioned end portion includes a free end resting on said inlet guideway,

b. said other end portion includes a concavedownwardly, recessed portion resting on said pins,

c. said body portion includes a concave-downwardly lower face extending between said end portions, and

d. said diverter includes a handle projecting upwardly from said other end portion. 

1. In a copying machine including a housing having an opening therein through which an original document may be discharged from said housing after having been inserteD therein and copied, a discharge guideway having an outlet in communication with said opening for discharging such a document from said housing, an inlet guideway in communication with said opening and with said discharge guideway and having spaced walls, means for recycling such a document from said opening through said inlet and discharge guideways comprising a. a diverter removably mounted in said housing and extending across said opening therein, thereby to close said opening, said diverter having
 1. a downwardly concave lower surface for guiding a document from the outlet of said discharge guideway to the inlet guideway,
 2. a first end portion positioned adjacent said inlet guideway along one longitudinal edge of said opening, and
 3. a second end portion positioned adjacent the other longitudinal edge of said opening, and b. at least a part of said first end portion being spaced from a wall of said inlet guideway to allow such document to enter said inlet guideway from said discharge guideway.
 2. a first end portion positioned adjacent said inlet guideway along one longitudinal edge of said opening, and
 2. The combination defined in claim 1, and in which a. said diverter has an elongated handle projecting outwardly from said opening on the side of said opening remote from said inlet.
 2. an end portion a''. projecting downwardly from one end of said body portion, and b''. having an opening therethrough, and
 3. The combination defined in claim 1, and in which said housing has supporting means, and in which a. said second end portion of said diverter is removably mounted on and supported by said supporting means.
 3. a second end portion positioned adjacent the other longitudinal edge of said opening, and b. at least a part of said first end portion being spaced from a wall of said inlet guideway to allow such document to enter said inlet guideway from said discharge guideway.
 3. another end portion projecting from the other end of said body portion, b. said first mentioned end portion extending across said inlet, c. said other end portion being supported in said housing, and d. said body portion extending across said opening in position to deflect such a document passing outwardly from said discharge guideway through said opening and in said end portion into said inlet guideway.
 4. The combination defined in claim 1, and in which abutment means are mounted in said housing, and in which a. said second end portion has a recess therein, b. said abutment means are disposed in said recess in supporting relation to said second end portion, and c. said lower surface extends between said recess and said first mentioned end portion.
 5. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said first end portion comprises two ears projecting from said lower surface in spaced relation to each other, and defining an opening through said first end portion.
 6. In a copying machine including a housing having an opening therein through which an original document may be discharged after having been inserted therein and copied, a discharge guideway having an outlet in communication with said opening for discharging such a document from said housing, an inlet guideway in communication with said opening and with said discharge guideway and having spaced walls, means for recycling such a document from said opening through said inlet and discharge guideways comprising a. a diverter removably mounted in said housing and including
 7. The combination defined in claim 6, and in which said housing has two supporting pins mounted in opposite sides of said housing, and in which a. said first mentioned end portion includes a free end resting on said inlet guideway, b. said other end portion includes a concave-downwardly, recessed portion resting on said pins, c. said body portion includes a concave-downwardly lower face extending between said end portions, and d. said diverter includes a handle projecting upwardly from said other end portion. 